Happy Trade Deadline Week, as the clock goes tick tock, tick tock…Discussions are heating up, with all 30 clubs exchanging texts, emails and phone calls at a fast and furious pace. Some blockbuster deals are expected, and there are bound to be a few surprises, so get ready for the fireworks show, which will end officially at 6 p.m. ET on Aug. 3.There has been very little action thus far, with the biggest deal of note the swap between the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals that sent Curtis Mead to Boston and Connelly Early to Washington. Unfortunately, the impact of that deal was put on hold when Mead suffered a fractured wrist during his second at-bat in his Boston debut. Early, who was on the injured list at the time of the deal, is expected to be out a couple more weeks with elbow inflammation. Eventually, that trade should help both teams. (The Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels pulled off a smaller deal on Wednesday, with the Rangers acquiring catcher Logan O’Hoppe and reliever Chase Silseth for infield prospect Angel Arredondo.)The Mead-Early trade could be a sign of things to come, as it was between two teams with a shot at a postseason spot rather than a trade between a true buyer and a true seller. We could see several of those types of deals, as only a handful of teams are further than five games out from at least a wild-card berth.That deal also shows that teams will have to overpay for right-handed power. Putting aside Mead’s injury (which was just bad luck), when evaluating the trade, the Nationals got the better end of the deal in terms of value, but both teams got exactly what they needed. Front offices aren’t looking to “win” trades but rather to put their team in a better position to win a championship. The Red Sox likely didn’t “win” this deal in terms of future value, but before Mead’s unfortunate injury, it put them in a much better position to win this year. This could be a sign of things to come in future deals at this year’s deadline.In talking with front-office heads in both leagues, I’m hearing that teams are not expecting a flurry of moves until the weekend. According to the execs I’ve spoken with, several teams are still deciding not only whether to buy or sell, but also what they are looking for to improve. For several teams, their needs are different than they were even a week ago. That indecision has made deals more difficult to close so far.With all of that in mind, here are the things you need to keep track of as we head into the heart of trade deadline mania.First, let’s look at the buyers, sellers and everyone in between:Definite buyers American League: Rays, Yankees, Red Sox, White Sox, Guardians, Rangers, Mariners and AstrosNational League: Dodgers, Brewers, Braves, Phillies and CubsDefinite sellersAmerican League: Angels, Royals, Athletics and Blue JaysNational League: Mets, Giants and RockiesExpected to buy, but could also sellAmerican League: Orioles and TwinsNational League: Pirates, Cardinals, Padres and DiamondbacksStill on the fenceAmerican League: TigersNational League: Marlins, Reds and NationalsFive storylines to watchTarik Skubal: Will he stay or will he go?The headliner of this year’s deadline is two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Skubal. But will the Tigers actually trade him? If they do, they’ll likely also trade their second-best starting pitcher, Casey Mize, and their closer, Kenley Jansen.It really could go either way. They are still within arm’s reach of the wild-card but aren’t playing well at the moment. However, through Tuesday’s games, they were tied with the Rays in run differential (+39), reflecting the talent on their roster. If they trade Skubal and/or Mize, their season is basically over.The Tigers remain undecided on whether to trade their ace, and the decision will have a ripple effect on the entire trade market. (Paul Sancya / Associated Press)That said, since they haven’t been able to extend Skubal and aren’t even negotiating a new deal right now, I believe they would be better off trading him and getting back a haul of prospects who will make them better in the long term. They have a strong core of young players, including the best catcher in baseball in Dillon Dingler, one of the best young hitters in the game in rookie Kevin McGonigle and an emerging superstar in left fielder Riley Greene.If there are trades available that allow them to load up on pitching at both the major- and minor-league levels in deals for Skubal and Mize, then that’s the direction they should go. I don’t think the Tigers are a World Series team this year despite the parity in the AL.I do understand the argument for going for it because there isn’t a dominant team in the AL, but if the Tigers keep Skubal and Mize and don’t make the playoffs, they’ll have set the organization back a few years.